


Hooks in the Night

by Jaal_Ama_Darav



Category: Japanese Mythology
Genre: Gen, Warning: major creep of a character (not the main character)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:08:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27256957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaal_Ama_Darav/pseuds/Jaal_Ama_Darav
Summary: The Hari Onago, a Yokai who may not look fearsome at first. But when she sets her sights on her prey or worse is angered, the best thing to do is run...
Kudos: 1





	Hooks in the Night

**Japan**

**Edo Period**

The dirt streets lined with wooden and occasionally stone buildings, some such as the street the Samurai, Kazuki Hirano, had wooden segmented planks he was walking on, were bustling with activity even this late at night. It being a cool, clear moonlight night with stars surely helped.

Kazuki's hair was jet black, his eyes vibrant blue, and his fair skin tone contrasted against his indigo yukata with matching geta on his feet. His black sheath with his katana in it were fastened to his waist by a belt.

It was a pleasant night for him. He had delicious sushi with some nice strong sake with bread to absorb some of the alcohol. He wasn't that buzzed, but he could feel it on the edges. At least he wasn't too far from his home.

He looked up briefly at the chōchin strung up across the street between buildings, casting a gentle yellow light on the streets.

Ahead, he saw a woman approaching down the right side of the path.

At first she looked normal, but with footstep closer, a dawning horror came upon Kazuki. _Chikushō!_ _That's a_ _H_ _ari_ _O_ _nago!_ Most wouldn't know unless they knew that a Hari Onago, one of many Yokai in the land; has loose, disheveled hair, especially in night time conditions like these.

The Hari Onago drew close, walking down the right side of the street. She turned her gaze to Kazuki and smiled coyly.

 _Don't make any faces, or you're dead!_ He looked at her, but didn't smile, he kept his expression blank, and returned to looking at the street ahead and kept walking. _Close! Sometimes they follow if ignored...trip their prey up…_

The samurai kept walking at a brisk pace to put distance between himself and the deadly Yokai.

At that moment, a large man with a revolting reputation and overly elaborate style, waddled down the right hand of the street. Wearing an overly elaborate golden colored kimono, hair that was originally jet black but now looked bright blonde and horribly combed over, dead soulless dark gray eyes, a skin tone which appeared orange and very unnatural most likely thanks to makeup, and wearing golden colored geta headed down the street with a wicked smile and eyes that were becoming more wide.

Kazuki knew the man's eyes were on the Hari Onago. _Great...this kimoi ijiwaru kusojijii!_ He kept walking until he passed the man, and stopped. He put his left hand on the black hilt of his katana, and turned around. _Yup...idiot is going straight for her._

The creep was heading towards the Yokai, unaware of what she was.

Kazuki knew about the man, but dared not mention his name, or even think it for it made him feel sick to his stomach, no good to lose his excellent dinner and sake on the street.

The man heading to his doom was notorious in Edo. He had killed sacred animals, was a self-important blowhard who had no respect for anyone but himself, multiple young wives he married only for money and not for love. He was also known for calling his critics liars and conspirators out to ruin him, never admitting to any wrong, and loved the attention he got. And he would prey on women at night too, even underage girls as young as thirteen.

Kazuki Hirano shuddered at that, gripped the hilt of his katana, and he pushed the thought away. _Don't think about it, no sense losing that wonderfully delicious sushi and sake all over the street._

And unfortunately, the enormous amounts of money the disgusting man had allowed him to pay off anyone for anything.

The samurai's eyes narrowed in disgust.

It was beyond Kazuki that the vile man almost to the Hari Onago hadn't died yet from a blade, arrow, or poison. But now the universe appeared to have had enough.

He tensed, ready for the inevitable. _Protect the innocents, then run as fast as you can home. Don't even look back, that will kill you._

The samurai saw the vile man grab the Hari Onago by her butt and appeared to be speaking into her ear. _He's very, very dead. She's going to snap…_

Before the samurai could finish exhaling his next breath, the Yokai screamed in rage, her hooked hair threads baring themselves.

The creep screamed in horror and fell on his rear. And whimpered, his tone begging. "No! I am so sorry! Please! Take anything you want! Take everything I have! Just don't kill me!"

Surrounding civilians took heed of the coming danger and ran, but other more foolhardy ones stayed.

 _Got to do something!_ Kazuki put his right hand on his sword hilt, raising his left into a defensive position. "Everyone, run! Get out of here! It's not safe!"

Even the bold ones knew to listen to a samurai, especially when they warn of danger, and ran away.

Another samurai, younger than Kazuki, stopped in front of him. "You should run too! When an Hari Onago gets mad, anyone nearby is a target!"

Kazuki nodded. "I know, but I need to stay, make sure no one gets caught up in the mess."

The samurai took pause. "Good luck to you, sir!" He ran off down the street with haste.

"Thank you." Kazuki stood his ground.

The Yokai had turned her full attention on the terrified creep now on the ground, who was a whimpering, sobbing mess. Her hair was bared, ready to strike. And she was snarling, her fangs and razor sharp teeth were showing, her face one of pure rage.

The man, propped up on his arms and shaking in sheer terror, cried out with his voice full of unbridled horror. "No! Please! Spare me! I'll do anything!"

The Hari Onago snarled, and her hooked hair lunged straight for the creep. The barbed hooks buried themselves into the shrieking man's flesh, through fat and muscle to the bones.

The man was screaming in utter agony, tears streaming down his face, terrified out of his wits.

The Hari Onago's hair violently ripped and tore the man to bits and pieces. There was still a body, but huge chunks were missing.

The man was choking for a few moments, before he went still, blood pooling around him.

The Hari Onago looked straight at Kazuki with murderous intent.

 _Everyone's out of here, gotta get myself out of here as well!_ He drew his katana, the silver blade shining in the light, holding the hilt firmly.

The Hari Onago's hooks lunged for the Samurai.

In one fluid motion, Kazuki cut several of her hooked hair strands.

One shot through his defenses and snagged on his kimono.

Kazuki quickly slashed the strand off. _Chikushō! If I stay, I'm done for!_

The Yokai roared in fury and more hooked hair strands shot at the samurai with near blinding speed.

Kazuki barely dodged the hooks, and ran with speed only a trained samurai possessed. He rounded the corner off the street into the alley, and heard the hook hair following him, heard a few strands hitting the ground just behind his feet. Around another turn, and he heard more of the hair hitting the side of the building.

Kazuki dashed out onto his home street with his house ahead. _Don't look back!_ He kept running, held his sword, and quickly reached into and grabbed his key out of his key holder pocket. He stopped in front of his door, hurriedly unlocked the door, and yanked it open. He heard the hair flying through the air, dashed in, and slammed it shut on some strands of the hooked hair. And heard hooks hitting the door. He swiftly cut down the strands pinned by the door, heard the rest retreating, and sheathed his blade. _Too close...another few-_

He heard lashing on the other side of the door which made the door shake. Kazuki kept both hands on the door, bracing it against the vicious hooks. _Good thing its tough! Best to hold it!_

It felt like an eternity before the lashing stopped, and all went quiet.

Kazuki panted, and turned around and slid down to the wooden floor, taking his sheath off his belt. He sat with his legs in a style similar to the lotus position with his sheathed blade on his lap.

Chills ran down his spine, he was too terrified to move, and soon heard crunching and chewing. _She's probably feeding on that vile man on my yard...need to wait for dawn and she'll go away._

Eventually, the crunching and chewing outside faded, his eyes grew tired from the hours sitting, and he closed them. Sleep overtook him soon after.

* * *

A loud crash and the door gave away, falling backwards.

Before Kazuki landed on his back, he felt barbed hooks dig into his back, he cried out and pulled out his blade from its sheathe before more hooks dug into his arms and shoulders.

One grabbed his blade and ripped it out of his hands and tossed it aside. And he was forced to his back and dragged backwards out of his house.

He glimpsed his fallen blade. _No! My sword!_ He looked back and saw the Hari Onago dragging him to her. She had glowing demonic red eyes, razor sharp teeth, a creepily long tongue, and thick drool was coming out of her mouth.

And the creep's ripped open corpse was beside her.

Kazuki screaming in horror. "No! No! No! Nooooooooooooooooo!" He struggled fruitlessly against the hooks.

He looked again, and the Hari Onago's mouth opened wide, wider than should be possible for her. And from inside her mouth came the screams of those consumed by her.

He struggled more against the hair but it wouldn't let her go, and he was close to the Yokai now.

She snarled with that horrible wide open mouth, her tongue licked her lips.

Kazuki screamed in horror at the awful finality of his fate.

The hooked hair pulled him up and forced him halfway into the Hari Onago's mouth, feet first.

He felt the pain of teeth piercing his midsection, a sickening crunch, and horrible agony.

* * *

Kazuki awoke with a startle, drenched in cold sweat and panting. _T_ _hey aren't kidding when they say she's fuel for nightmares._

He looked to a window, and saw the sun coming up. _Thank the ancestors._

When the sun came up, Yokai like the Hari Onago disappeared. He would be safe, even if he crossed that particular Hari Onago's path. They don't hold grudges if someone didn't do something to them first. After all, she was merely wanting to eat a good meal; for they preferred young, virile men like himself for a meal.

The samurai listened to the sounds from outside. He didn't hear chewing, didn't hear the hooks, nothing. _Just to be safe, waiting longer._

Another hour later, and the sun was shining into the room, a ray of light which he basked in the warmth of. _Time to check...she should be long gone by now._ He stood up, attached his sheathed katana to his belt, and carefully slid the door open.

Outside, no Hari Onago, and due to it being so early there was no foot traffic yet. He did see a corpse at the end of the footpath by the street.

He stepped outside and closed his door most of the way, and saw it gouged and slashed. _Yikes..._

The samurai turned around and walked down the path, and approached the corpse carefully.

And saw who it was. _That vile creep...no_ _surprise._ He looked around and saw no one. He looked at the body with a disgusted look. "One final parting gift for you." And spat on the corpse.

He sighed, he knew something had to be done about the body, he'd report it so that it doesn't scare the children.

Then he'd go about another day, and hopefully not run into another Yokai out for blood for a while.

**Author's Note:**

> Here's a listing of the Japanese terms and words that might not be familiar-
> 
> Chōchin – a type of paper lantern, can be hung from objects.
> 
> Chikushō – can be any of the following- Oh shit! Oh blast! Oh hell!
> 
> Kimoi – means 'creepy'
> 
> Ijiwaru – among other meanings, here it means 'malicious'.
> 
> Kusojijii – means either 'old fart' or 'unpleasant old man'.


End file.
